Test tube rack and test tube capping devices



H, w. RITTER 3,483,997

TEST TUBE RACK AND TEST TUBE CAPPING DEVICES Dec. 16, 1969 3SheeJcs--Sheefl l mmf Filed July 5, 1967 TEST TUBE RACK AND TEST TUBECAPPING DEVICES Filed July 3, 196'.

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United States Patent Oiiice 3,483,997 Patented Dec. 16, 1969 3,483,997TEST TUBE RACK AND TEST TUBE CAPPING DEVICES Harry W. Ritter, 10919Aztec Court, Cincinnati, Ohio 45241 Filed .Iuly 3, 1967, Ser. No.655,712 Int. Cl. A47b 73/ 00 U.S. Cl. 211-76 13 Claims ABSTRACT F THEDISCLOSURE The invention comprises a rack for retaining multiple spacedtest tubes. The test tubes being arranged in longitudinal and lateralrows and secured from breakage. A removable tray is provided forsupporting caps for the spaced test tubes and to simultaneously positionor remove the caps from the test tubes and another removable plate isadapted to apply pressure on top of the caps when the caps are placedover and in sealing position on the test tubes.

This invention relates to caps and pressure means for sealing andunsealing a multiple of test tubes arranged in racks for holding thetest tubes in spaced positions.

It is an object of my invention to provide a test tube sealing cap,together with pressure means, for holding the caps on the test tubeswhen the test tubes are used as culture tubes in a laboratory.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cap for a test tube withpressure means for holding a multiple of caps on a multiple of testtubes in a rack, together with a tray that permits individual tubes tobe uncapped and also provides a means, in cooperation with the caps, touncap simultaneously all of the test tribes in the rack.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent in thefollowing description when taken in conjunction with the accompaningdrawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a rack with test tubes in cappedcondition by my pressure means.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the rack shown in FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevation of the rack illustrating the test tubeswithout caps, cap removal tray and pressure plate.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the cap removal tray with the caps heldin the removal tray.

FIGURE 5 is an end view in section through the rack taken on line 5-5 ofFIGURE l.

FIGURE 6 is a side view of a cap having a tapered inner plug fordirecting the plug into a test tube.

FIGURE 7 is a side View of an alternate type of cap without a taperedplug to seal a no-lip type of culture test tube.

FIGURE 8 is a side view illustrating the use of my cap on screw cap typeof test tubes.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary side view of a test tube and leaf springbumper for the bottom of test tubes.

FIGURE l0 is a fragmentary side View of a coil spring used as a bumperfor the bottom of test tubes.

FIGURE 1l is a side view of a cap having no inner seal for test tubeswhere it is not necessary to exclude air from the test tubes.

During tissue work involving the growing of animal (or vegetable) cellsin vitro for various studies, the tubes containing the cells, nutrientsetc. must be opened a number of times. Where screw caps or standardrubber Stoppers are employed, these many opening and closing proceduresbecome laborious and time consuming, also the chance of contamination isincreased.

My holding mechanism and cap make it possible to manipulate many caps atone time thus eliminating the individual handling of tube and cap whenit is desired to uncap all the tubes in a rack. Anyone of the tubes,when closed by the new cap7 may be examined individually with the capremaining on the tube thereby reducing the chances of contamination andexcessive air exposure of the tube contents.

The cap may be used with tubes having a threaded neck (screw cap type).This makes it possible to use the new unit with tubes currently in usein large numbers by many laboratories doing tissue culture studies.

A at seal in the cap enables it to be used on a standard bacteriologicaltype no-lip culture tube.

The cap is adapted to be used in tissue culture studies where anair-tight seal is required on the tube. However, by eliminating theinsert plug or integral seal from inside the cap, a non air-tightclosure will result. Thus, the altered cap may be used on standardbacterial or fungal culture tubes.

The rack, with capped tubes and cap -holding device in place, may beincubated statically or secured to a standard roller drum as commonlyused in tissue culture work to obtain roller or non static cultures.

The cap holding mechanism may be fabricated from aluminum, stainlesssteel or other generally non-corrosive heat stable material.

The material for the caps is made of heat stable, i.e. polypropylene.The insert or seal in the cap is a nontoxic, resilient, heat stablematerial, preferably rubber of the White silicone type. The seal mayalso be an integral part of the cap. Caps may also be fabricated from anon-thermostable plastic, viz polyethylene.

In the case of polyethylene, the seal may be an integral part of thecap, since the resiliency of polyethylene lends itself to this type ofclosure. Caps fabricated from this non-thermostable material would bedisposable and intended for use on disposable glass tubes. The tube andcap would thus be considered a unit and could be sterilized by othermeans than by heat i.e. ethylene oxide gas etc.

Referring to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated a rack 1 having ends 2 witha base 3 secured together. There are shelves 4 secured in stationaryIposition to the ends 2. Each of these shelves have spaced holes 5 thatare adapted to loosely position test tubes 6 that are spaced in rows inthe shelves. All the holes are in vertical axial alignment. Covering thetop of the base there is a resilient pad 7 upon lwhich the bottoms 8 ofthe test tubes rest. The resilient pad reacts to downward pressure oncaps that are on the test tubes and preserves them from breakage whenpressure is applied on the caps 9 to seal the test tubes. A plate 1t) issuperimposed on the pad and has spaced holes in line with the holes onthe shelves. This plate positions and holds the bottoms of the testtubes. It is superimposed over the entire surface of the resilient padwhich provides a means to compensate for the variable lengths of thetest tubes.

Secured to the top of one of the shelves there is a pad 11 of aresilient noncontaminating material having holes centered on the holesin the shelves. The holes in the resilient pad are slightly smaller indiameter than the test tubes and the internal walls of these holesslidably and frictionally engage the outside of the test tubes and holdthe test tubes in place in the rack when the rack, with the tubes in it,is inverted.

A cap removable tray 12 is supported on the top shelf 4 by legs 13. Thistray has holes 14 sucient in size to slidably receive the outer bodydiameter 15 of the caps 9 and the holes are centered on the holes in theshelves.

When the tray is in .place in the rack, ends 16 of the cap extendconsiderably lower than the tray to in- 3 sure that the caps will remainin the tray when the tray is at rest on the shelf 4. When the tray israised from rest on the shelf 4, all of the caps will be raised by itand uncap all of the test tubes simultaneously when it is raised fromcapping position.

The caps have a frange 17 larger in diameter than the outer diameter ofthe cap. This flange is also larger in diameter than the holes in thetray 12. These flanges, together with the tray, are the means forraising all of the caps simultaneously from the test tubes in the rack.The caps are essentially a tube having an inner diameter that is largerthan the outside diameter of the test tubes and allows them to readilyslide down on the test tubes. The flanges may be integral with thecylinder of the cap or integral with resilient plugs 18. The plugs aresecured on the tops of the caps. One form of plug, see FIGURE 6, has atapered bottom 19 internal of the cap to facilitate the locating of theplug within the test tube when the caps are in tray 12 and all of thecaps are lowered together for placing them on the test tubes andsimultaneously sealing the test tubes. Each of the caps have a resilientbutton 20 that is compressible and pressure on tops 21 of the resilientbuttons forces the plugs into or on top of the test tubes to seal them.Another form of plug (see FIGURES 7 and 9) has a tlat bottom adapted tobe pressed on lips 23 of the test tubes and it likewise seals the tubesagainst air leakage and contamination. Another form of caps is shown inFIGURE 1l. This cap does not have an inner plug and is used where testtubes need not be hermetically sealed but air is allowed or required forstandard bacterial or fungal culture tubes.

A top pressure plate 24 is removably secured on top of the buttons ofthe plugs on the caps. Pressure is transmitted on the plugs by means ofrotatable handles 25 connected t-o coil springs 26 having hooked ends 27movably secured in eyes 28 that are xed in the base of the rack. Thecoil springs have other hooked ends 29 that are movably secured in othereyes 30 that are fixed in the rotatable handles. The coil springs reacton the handles and the handles in turn react and apply pressure on thetop pressure plate.

Bottoms 31 of the handle rest on tops 32 of the ends of the rack. Thesetops provide a fulcrum for the handles when the springs react on thehandles. Ends 33 of the handles rest on top of the pressure plate andthese ends of the handles are the means for transmitting the force ofthe springs through the handles to the pressure plate which in turnapplies pressure on the resilient buttons of the caps therebysimultaneously seal or unseal all of the tubes.

The racks have clips 34 secured on sides yof the ends and these clipsare provided to enable the racks, with the tubes, to be placed in aposition slightly tilted to the horizontal plane so that maximumincubation throughout the tubes can be obtained.

In FIGURES 9 and 10 there are illustrated alternate means for supportingbottoms of test tubes. These alternate means comprise a coil spring 35and leaf springs 36 which react to the pressure exerted by the toppressure plate thereby keeping the tubes in sealed condition.

To utilize my invention my caps are placed in the tray 12. The testtubes, with their culture, are positioned in the holes of the shelves inthe rack and made ready to receive the caps with their plugs. When therack is loaded with the test tubes the tray, with the caps, is placed inposition so that each test tube will simultaneously be capped. When thecaps are in place on the test tubes, the top pressure plate is placed ontop of the caps. When the top pressure is in place the handles arerotated together on the top edges of the stand until other ends of thehandles rest on the top pressure plate. The reaction of the springsconnected to the handles will pull the handles down on the pressureplate which in turn will apply pressure on the caps and seal all thetest tubes Simultaneously.

During incubation, if it is desired to uncap all the tubessimultaneously, the handles are rotated to remove the pressure on thetop pressure plate. After removing the pressure plate the tray, with thecaps on them, is raised and all of the tubes will be uncappedsimultaneously. If it is desired to inspect tubes individually, the trayis left in place and then each and every tube can be handled separatelyWithout uncapping any and all the test tubes.

With my caps having plugs it is possible to rotate the rack, with thetubes in it, around vertical and horizontal axis without spilling orleakage from the tubes.

Caps without inner plugs do not seat on the lips of the test tubes. Thistype of cap will be used on tubes for standard bacterial or fungalcultures. These caps allow air to enter the tubes.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A combined test tube rack and test tube capping device comprising;

a bottom together with horizontal shelves spaced vertically each to theother and fixed to end standards, said shelves having spaced holes invertical axial alignment for positioning test tubes in said rack, acompressible resilient bumper superimposed on top of said base providinga leveling and pressure absorbing means for said test tubes whendownward pressure is applied on tops of said test tubes,

a removable tray supported on one of said shelves having spaced holesadapted for alignment with the holes in said shelves,

caps for said test tubes slidable vertically in said tray and said trayadapted to lower the caps simultaneously from and to on top 0f said testtubes when said tray is raised or lowered in said rack said caps havinga hollow cylindrical body portion of suliicient length to insure saidcaps will remain in said tray when said tray is at rest on said shelf orany surface outside said rack,

a removable plate adapted to be placed in said rack on top of said capsto apply downward pressure on said caps to seal said test tubes,

rotatable spring tensioned means pivoted on said standards adapted toimpinge on said plate and transmit downward pressure on said plate tohold Said test tubes in sealed condition by said caps.

2. A combined test tube rack and capping device as set forth in claim 1;

each of said caps having a liange larger in diameter than the holes insaid removeable tray providing a means for uncapping said test tubessimultaneously when said pressure plate is removed and said tray israised from said test tubes.

3. A combined test tube rack and capping device as set forth in claim 1;

and each of said caps having a tapered inner resilient plug adapted tobe inserted in said test tubes to seal said test tubes.

4. A combined test tube rack and capping device as forth in claim 1;

and each of said caps having at bottomed resilient plug adapted to beseated on top lips of said test tubes to seal said test tubes whenpressure is applied on said caps.

5. A combined test tube rack and capping device as set forth in claim 1;

and each of said caps having a resilient compressible cushion on its topadapted to react to the pressure on the plate to seal the test tubes andhold said test tubes in fixed position in the rack and between thepressure plate and resilient bumper on said bottom of said rack.

6. A combined test tube rack and test tube capping device comprising;

a bottom together with horizontal shelves spaced vertically each to theother and fixed to end standards.

said shelves having spaced holes in vertical axial alignment forpositioning test tubes in said rack,

a compressible resilient bumper superimposed on top of said baseproviding a leveling and pressure absorbing means for said test tubeswhen downward pressure is applied on tops of said test tubes,

a removeable tray supported on one of said shelves having spaced holesadapted for alignment with the holes in said shelves,

caps for said test tubes slidable vertically in said tray and said trayadapted to lower the caps simultaneously from and to on top of said testtubes when said tray is raised or lowered in said rack, said caps havinga hollow cylindrical body portion of suicient length to insure said capswill remain in said tray when said tray is at rest on said shelf or anysurface outside said rack,

a removable plate adapted to be placed in said rack on top of said capsto apply downward pressure on said caps to seal said test tubes,

rotatable spring tensioned means pivoted on said standards adapted toimpinge on said plate and transmit downward pressure on said plate tohold said test tubes in sealed condition by said caps,

said caps adapted to be suspended in said tray around and away from topsof said test tubes to expose the contents of said test tubes to air.

7. A combined test tube rack and test tube capping device as set forthin claim 1;

said bumper on said base being a resilient compressible pad adapted toabsorb shock and pressure applied on said test tubes during capping ofsaid test tubes and preserve said test tubes from breakage and hold saidtest tubes in sealed condition.

8. A combined test tube rack and capping device as set forth in claim 1;

said bumper being a coil spring adapted to retain a bottom end of saidtest and adapted to absorb shock and pressure applied to said test tubesduring capping of said test tubes and retain said test tubes in sealedcondition between said caps and spring bumper.

9. A combined test tube rack and capping device as set forth in claim 1;

said bumper being leaf springs adapted to upward pressure on bottoms ofsaid test tubes to counteract downward pressure on said test tubes andhold said test tubes in sealed condition between said pressure plate andleaf springs.

10. A combined test tube rack and capping device as set forth in claim1;

one of said xed shelves having a resilient pad superimposed on and xedto it with holes in axial alignment with the holes in the shelves andsaid holes in said pad being smaller in diameter than the holes in theshelves whereby the test tubes are frictionally engaged to retain thetest tubes in the rack when the rack, with the test tubes in it, isinverted.

11. A monostyle cap for a test tube comprising:

an elongated hollow cylindrical body portion, adapted to slidablysurround an upper exterior portion of said test tube having an enlargedange at one end thereof integral therewith and extending exterior ofsaid body portion, thereby providing a means for raising and loweringsaid cap around said test tube,

an elongated resilient compressible plug secured to the interior of saidcylindrical body on the underside of said flanged end of said bodyportion, and;

a resilient compressible button secured on top of said flanged end ofsaid cylindrical body portion, to removably secure said cap on said testtube,

said plug adapted to be removably inserted interior of said test tubesto seal the test tubes when pressure is applied on said resilientbutton.

12. A cap for a test tube as set forth in claim 11; said elongatedresilient compressible plug having a tapered end adapted to guide saidplug into said test tube to seat the plug within the test tube prior tosealing the test tube with the plug by the application of pressure onsaid compressible button. 13. A cap for a test tube as set forth inclaim 11; said elongated resilient compressible plug having a fiat endinterior of said cylindrical body adapted to be removably secured on atop rim of a test tube to seal said test tube by the application of andthe release of pressure on said compressible button.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 561,191 6/1896 Barnhart 21S-821,520,088 12/1924 Schenkein 21S-83 1,659,333 2/l928 Roberts 211-762,056,253 10/1936 Carroll 215-83 2,576,580 ll/l95l Edwards 215-83 X2,710,694 6/1955 Carr 211-76 2,970,700 2/1961 Lacy 211-74 3,191,7906/1965 Coven 21S-83 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,315,748 12/1962 France.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner' U.S. Cl. X.R. 21S-38, S3

